Chapter 21: Brother Ex-Husband

Chapter 21: Brother Ex-Husband

"You Ye family are quite lucky, getting a grown daughter for nothing," Mrs. Wang said with a gossipy gleam in her eyes. "But is your Yan Yan really not coming back from the city?"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "..."

Who is this person?

Ye Changning retorted rudely, "Mrs. Wang, you better go home and mind your own business."

Wang Meili felt awkward, "Oh, you..."

Ye Changsheng explained to Ye Xiaoxiao, "She's Wang Meili, the village chief's wife, who's always gossiping around the village. Just ignore her."

Ye Xiaoxiao nodded.

Finally, they returned to the Ye family courtyard.

It was spacious and bright, although it was a mud-brick house, both inside and outside were spotless and well-kept.

Miao Cuifang and the eldest sister-in-law, Zhang Xue, had already prepared the rooms for everyone.

The room Ye Xiaoxiao was staying in originally belonged to Hao Yanyan, but this time they had completely refurbished it inside and out.

The room was newly wallpapered with newspaper, and even Ye Xiaoxiao's bedding was freshly made.

This treatment was more elaborate than for a new bride in the family.

Ye Xiaoxiao noticed the changes in the small room as soon as she returned.

She set aside a pack of candies for herself and handed the rest of the things she bought to Miao Cuifang.

"Xiao Xiao, don't spend money recklessly. I'm too old for that to wear such bright hairpins."

"Mom, you're not old at all. These hairpins look just right on you."

Miao Cuifang had striking features, just that she didn't bother much with dressing up after years of hard work.

If she weren't good-looking, she wouldn't have had such handsome children in the Ye family.

Miao Cuifang smiled, "Then I'll take them, thank you."

Ye Xiaoxiao chose a deep purple for Miao Cuifang and a vivid red for the eldest sister-in-law, Zhang Xue.

She handed the hairpins and two pairs of children's shoes to Zhang Xue.

"Sister-in-law, I used to have a short temper. Now that we're living together as a family, I won't be like that anymore."

Zhang Xue didn't know where to put her hands, "We're all family, no need to bring that up."

Ye Xiaoxiao took the opportunity to push the gifts into her hands, "Since we're family, sister-in-law, you can't turn down my gifts."

Zhang Xue: "..."

Ye Xiaoxiao dashed off after handing over the gifts.

She was exhausted from the long trip and just wanted to crash on the kang for a bit.

The room was still cozy, but only the kang was warm.

Since there was no stove for heating in the house, only a charcoal brazier was placed inside.

Ye Xiaoxiao lay on the kang, burying her face in her arms.

The family was still very poor.

In the evening, the family had dinner together, and after the meal, someone came to call Ye Changning out to play.

Ye Jianguo frowned, "It's fine to go out and play, but if you hang out with others again, I'll break your legs."

Ye Changning scoffed and ran off quickly.

As if his father's words meant nothing to him.

Ye Xiaoxiao wondered, "It's still snowing outside. Where could Third Brother possibly go to play?"

Ye Changsheng said, "He's probably going to play cards at Li Mazi's house in the back mountain."

Ye Xiaoxiao's eyes widened in surprise.

Ye Changsheng, worried she might misunderstand, quickly added, "It's not gambling—they don't even have money for that."

"...Oh," she murmured, still unsure.

The first day back home passed uneventfully, and Ye Xiaoxiao slept soundly, exhausted from the journey.

The next morning, she was woken up by the family rooster.

Ye Xiaoxiao slipped on her new shoes and cotton-padded jacket, looking much more lively.

Right after breakfast, Ye Changyuan showed up.

With him were two elderly relatives from the Ye family.

Both were in their seventies and in good health.

The two elders had come to visit their in-laws and to check on Ye Xiaoxiao.

Ye Xiaoxiao had met the two elderly people when she first came to Baichuan Village, but she had not been very polite at that time.

But this time, the elders noticed that Ye Xiaoxiao seemed different.

Ye Xiaoxiao didn't immediately recognize them as relatives. She figured out who they were from the conversation and greeted them politely.

Since they weren't close, the conversation ended after the greetings.

The snow had stopped falling outside.

The sound of children laughing and playing echoed outside.

Ye Changyuan invited Ye Xiaoxiao and the others to join him outside to play.

Miao Cuifang objected, "It's too cold out there. Don't drag your sister around."

Ye Changsheng reassured her, "Aunt, we'll stay close to the door and come back soon."

It's better than sitting around listening to the adults talk.

Ye Xiaoxiao, who rarely saw such heavy snow, was eager to go out and explore.

She wrapped a scarf around her neck, pulled on some gloves, and headed out with Ye Changyuan.

Ye Changsheng had been reading at home, but when he saw Ye Xiaoxiao and Ye Changyuan going out, he got worried and decided to tag along.

At the drying field behind the mountain, a bunch of people were already there, having a snowball fight.

They were all village kids, ranging from their teens to twenties.

Ye Xiaoxiao, wrapped in a red wool scarf with her hair in twin ponytails and skin as white as snow, drew everyone's eyes the moment she showed up.

A boy came up and asked, "Changyuan, who's this?"

Ye Changyuan shooed them off, saying, "Cut it out. Back off, she's my sister."

"Your sis is really pretty. She from the city or what?"

"How come we ain't seen her before? Which sister is she?"

Among the crowd, a tall, skinny guy kept glancing her way.

The girl beside him pinched his arm, "Hey, eyes over here! My mom said the new Ye girl's from Beijing, y'know, the capital—big city folks, not like us."

The guy snorted at that, "Then what's she doin' in our backwater village?"

"'Cause the Ye family messed up and got the wrong daughter."

Zhang Erni rolled her eyes and stomped on his foot, "You gonna build that snowman or what?"

Li Deshu smirked, "Screw the snowman, let's check out what makes city folks so special."

Zhang Erni huffed and trailed after him.

"Hello, I'm Li Deshu."

Out of the bunch, Li Deshu stood out as decent-looking and well-kept.

He figured he was a cut above the rest.

But the moment Ye Xiaoxiao heard his name, she recoiled.

Oh crap!

Isn't this the jerk who was the heroine's husband in her past life?

Before they got hitched, he sweet-talked her into marrying him. Soon after, the Li family faced an economic crisis, revealing his true nature—gambling, domestic violence, abusing the heroine, and extorting the Ye family.

It was because of the misery in her previous life that the heroine was eager to leave Baichuan Village after being reborn.

However, this husband was chosen by Hao Yanyan herself, not forced by the Ye family.

So in this life, Hao Yanyan stealing the Ye family's money to escape her fate was something Ye Xiaoxiao couldn't understand.

Seeing that the other party didn't speak, Li Deshu's smile faded.

"Changyuan, why don't you introduce your sister? We can play together in the future."

"Yeah right, like my sis would ever hang with you."

Ye Changyuan pulled Ye Xiaoxiao, "Let's head over there and make a snowman."

Zhang Erni snickered from the sidelines, "She doesn't want to deal with you."

Li Deshu: "Butt out, you ugly!"

Zhang Erni scooped up a handful of snow and threw it at him, "Li Deshu! How dare you call me ugly, I'll kill you!!!"

Snow covered Li Deshu's hair, messing up his hairstyle, and he immediately screamed, "Zhang Erni, you're such a pain!"